Oakland Library: Emeryville and Piedmont Comparison
Emeryville is praised for paying $100,000 to Oakland in the current year to support library services. The payment comes mainly from the many businesses including: six banks, extensive retail businesses, multiple computer, biotech, and entertainment companies including Leapfrog, Lecg Corp, Pixar, Ziprealty inc Netopia, Chiron, Onyx pharmaceuticals, Geoworks, and others. The Golden Gate branch of the Oakland library is convenient for use by Emeryville’s large workforce. The residential population of Emeryville (2010 census) is 10,080, amounting to a contribution of $9.93 per Emeryville resident.
By contrast, Piedmont is a much smaller, almost entirely residential city with little business contribution to our tax base. Piedmont’s population is 10,667 (2010 census). If Piedmont made a payment to Oakland Public library at the same per resident rate as Emeryville, it would be $105, 923.
Editor’s Note: A payment, of any amount, constituting a gift of public monies would be prohibited by state law. See prior articles.
